Hello! This is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. Today, I would like to introduce the final presentations of the 1st year Engineering Design IB course, held on Friday, January 30th, 2026.
In the 1st year Engineering Design I course, students spent the entire year working toward the goal of creating things that are useful to people. In the second semester, students were divided into six teams. Through interviews with target users and other research activities, they identified underlying problems and needs, developed devices to solve them, and presented their ideas.
The six teams chose their project topics from the following facilities: the hot spring “Hime no Yu,”, the school gym, the Maker Studio, and the laboratory.

【Maker Studio: Pika-Pika Cleaner】

This team developed the Pika-Pika Cleaner, a cleaning device for the various machines in the Maker Studio. The Maker Studio is where students work on a variety of manufacturing and robotics activities. Students who are involved in Robocon use it almost every day.
Because of the wide variety of machine shapes and mechanisms, cleaning them requires significant time and effort, which has been an issue for both faculty and students who manage the space. To solve this problem, the team created a cleaning device equipped with three tools:

Rotating Brush: A spinning brush is attached allowing fine debris to be removed even from hard to reach areas.
Long Brush: Available in two sizes to collect scattered debris efficiently.
Lubrication Unit: Dispenses and replenishes machine oil, helping maintain machine performance, longevity, and precision.

Previously, users had to switch between different tools depending on the machine part they were cleaning. With the Pika-Pika Cleaner, it is possible to use a single device to clean machine parts more efficiently.

【Laboratory: Lab Helper】

This team interviewed with the faculty member in charge of the chemistry course, who manages the laboratory. They found that students often asked the same questions repeatedly, such as how to use equipment, where items were stored, how to clean up after experiments, or what procedures to follow. This often required students to wait until the instructor was available.
To solve this issue, the team created a website that consolidates all essential laboratory information in one place. On this website, users can check safety precautions and procedures for conducting experiments, and students can also submit questions directly to the instructor. In addition, it includes a feature that allows students to record and share what they learned during experiments, enabling them to exchange knowledge with one another. Furthermore, to ensure safe operation during experiments, the tablet case is made of acrylic, allowing students to use the touchscreen even while wearing laboratory gloves.

【Gym: TEE SWEEPER】

This team interviewed Health and Physical Education instructor Philip Cadzow sensei. Through the interview, they identified several issues related to cleaning the training equipment in the gym. Users had to hold a cloth and a spray bottle separately, making the cleaning process inconvenient because both hands were occupied. In addition, the cloths did not dry quickly, which made them unhygienic.
To address these problems, the students developed a portable cleaning device that integrates the spray bottle and the wiping tool into a single unit. They designed an easy to grip handle for one handed use and attached a fast drying sponge to the wiping section. Furthermore, they created a mechanism that automatically refills the remaining spray liquid, resulting in a more efficient and hygienic cleaning tool.

【Gym: PYM】

This team interviewed Philip sensei about the issues occurring in the gymnasium. Through the interview, they discovered that although the gym was sometimes left in a messy state and could not be used by other students, it was impossible to identify who had caused the mess. Therefore, a system to track gym usage was needed.
To solve this problem, the students developed a tracking system that manages entries and exits from the gym. When a student holds their ID card over a scanner, a buzzer and LED light indicate that the scan has been completed. To make the scanning process easier, the team also used a laser cutter to create a dedicated 80cm tall stand for mounting the card reader. Furthermore, when a student scans their card, their name is automatically recorded on a website, allowing users to check who used the gym and at what time. This system made it possible to track gym usage accurately.

【Hot Spring “Hime no Yu”: Bye-Bye Stink Bugs】

This team focused on the issue of stink bugs inside the hot spring facility, based on interviews with the staff and observations of the site. Stink bugs are commonly found in mountainous areas and are attracted to warm places. Because they emit a strong and distinctive odor, they can be unpleasant for both guests and staff.
To keep the facility clean and comfortable, the students developed a device that allows stink bugs to be removed easily without having to touch them directly. The device uses fruit, which stink bugs are attracted to, as bait placed inside the container. After this, a double layered sliding lid mechanism then causes the stink bugs to fall into a water chamber below.

【Hot Spring “Hime no Yu”: 3D Facility Model】

This team learned from interviews with the hot spring staff and on-site observations that there was a need for a clear and effective way to explain how to use the hot spring facility especially for people who have never visited a hot spring before and for international guests.
The students created an easy-to-understand explanatory tool by modeling the layout of the onsen facility and presenting it visually. They also added guidance in both Japanese and English so that anyone can understand it easily. A visitor to the onsen can consult a list and if they have questions about a specific part they can press a button next to the item on the list that relates to the question. Then an LED light flashes to indicate where in the layout of facility is related to the guidance. The LED light also indicated the location of various amenities within the onsen. In addition to providing useful information about the onsen, it also allows users to understand the layout of the onsen at a glance.

In the previous semester’s team project, the students observed their daily lives and identified “the item they use every day that they find the most inconvenient.” They then devised ways to solve those personal challenges. Throughout the project, they encountered differences of opinion and various difficulties within their groups, and I think they developed the ability to collaborate while accepting and working through those challenges.
In the second semester, with newly formed teams and the experience gained from the first semester, the students were able to better understand what they could contribute and in what situations they could make the most of their strengths. They worked together in ways that allowed each student to utilize their individual abilities effectively.
I look forward to seeing how the students will continue to grow and what they will achieve in next year’s Engineering Design course.

Yuri Makada

Hullo, I’m Ian Stevenson, an English teacher at the Hakusanroku Campus.
The 2nd Semester has finished, and that means it is time for tie-dye t-shirts. Making tie-dye t-shirts is an activity that ICT students have done almost every year since ICT began. See here and here for past tie-dye events. This year, the tie-dye activity was a mix of old and new patterns and designs, and it was spread over 2 days (February 17th and 19th, 2026).

On February 17th, 2026, after the students arrived at the Project Booth on the 2nd floor, they made an apron with a garbage bag and put on a pair of gloves to protect themselves and their clothes from the dye. Then, the students were shown 5 patterns that they could use to make their tie-dye t-shirts. 4 of these patterns had been used in the past; spiral, bullseye, stripe and crumple. There was also a new pattern, heart. I had never made a heart pattern tie-dye t-shirt, so I included a link to a YouTube video that demonstrated how to make it. 

One student (Reika Kubo, a 1st year) decided to try this heart-shaped pattern and to use light green and blue dye. Another student (Hiroki Yatsuo, a 1st year) saw that the video also had information about making a star-shaped pattern and made a t-shirt with a dark red and blue star. The other students used the 4 previously used patterns, with crumple and spiral being the most popular choices.

The t-shirts were then hung to dry for 2 days. On February 19, 2026, the students returned to further decorate their t-shirts with fabric markers. Some students (Shunta Tamura, a 1st year and Ayane Ito, a 2nd year) drew characters on their t-shirts. Shunta drew hamsters, which I originally thought were frogs, and Ayane drew (Kino Kino) a mushroom character. Other students (Toshimune Izumiya, a 1st year and Hajime Tani, a 2nd year) used the fabric markers to write their names into the tie-dye patterns.

After another 2 days, I soaked and wrung out the excess dye from the t-shirts before washing and returning the t-shirts to the students. They seemed quite pleased with the results of their work. Some students (Kotori Mae, 2ns year and Ayane) asked teachers and friends to further decorate their t-shirts with messages and drawings.

Ian Stevenson

Hello! I'm Kotori Mae, a 2nd year student at the International College of Technology.
This time, I'd like to introduce part of our Engineering Design IIB (ED) class.
First, in the 2nd year ED course, we engage in activities aimed at regional revitalization. As part of this, we cultivated Beni Haruka sweet potatoes in the fields and learned about business while selling roasted sweet potatoes at the Roadside Station Sena. Then, aiming to expand new sales channels, we collaborated with Kuru,ru. in Ono to sell Kosen Beni Haruka sweet potatoes baked in clay pots and original goods at the end of November.

The Kosen Beni Haruka project in ED has been passed down and refined by seniors from the second cohort, but initiatives like collaborations were new to us. Despite some nerves, we put a lot of effort into creating a new logo for the collaboration and expanding our merchandise lineup.

Kuru,ru. specializes in clay pot-baked sweet potatoes, and this time we borrowed their method to sell Kosen Beni Haruka sweet potatoes baked in clay pots. We sampled them ourselves and found that even though they were the same Beni Haruka variety, they were creamier and sweeter, really highlighting the difference between regular baking and pot baking.

Furthermore, building on improvements made since our sales at Roadside Station Sena, we sold merchandise as capsule toys this time. Seeing the children who came to the store excitedly saying, “I hope I get this one!” or “This one's cute!” while excitedly spinning the capsule toy machines. Seeing increased recognition not just for the baked sweet potatoes but for the Kosen Beni Haruka characters themselves really boosted the brand, which made us very happy. Also, the people who visited our shop showed great interest not only in the sweet potatoes but in the ICT itself. We were able to share information about our initiatives and the college in Ono, creating opportunities to talk about each other's regions and fostering valuable exchanges.

As a side note, since we took turns selling, we had time to explore Ono during breaks. The folks at Kuru,ru. lent us rental bikes, so we cycled along the coast and tried Ono's famous soy sauce soft serve. Experiencing this unique Ono tourism made me realize anew, “We've successfully spread our Kosen Beni Haruka brand to a new place.”

As the business team, it was rewarding to directly contribute to regional revitalization and gain sales experience while still in technical college school. The Kuru,ru. staff actively communicated with customers visiting the shop. They also kindly shared tips with us about pot-roasting and roasting sweet potatoes, engaging in conversations. Seeing their attitude of enjoying interactions with various people while sharing the same goal of regional revitalization made me realize that simply selling isn't enough. Even small exchanges create opportunities to learn about each other's regions and highlight the importance of communication. I want to apply this lesson to our future regional revitalization activities. We also sold roasted sweet potatoes at the Platinum Festival and came up with special menu items for our visitors. I was really happy that so many people enjoyed it!

Kotori Mae

Hello. My name is Seiya Fujiwara, and I’m a 2nd year student at the ICT living on the Hakusanroku Campus. Compared to last year, there is less snow in Hakusanroku  (Foothills of Mt. Hakusan), but Mt. Hakusan is still completely white. Every morning when I wake up and look out the window, I can feel both the harshness of winter and the beauty of nature. My daily life usually consists of going back and forth between the dormitory and the campus, but I feel lucky to be able to enjoy the snowy scenery we can only see in Hakusanroku (Foothills of Mt. Hakusan) during this season.

On February 14th, 2026, I went to Hakusan Ichirino Onsen Ski Resort. I didn’t go last year, so the last time I experienced winter sports in Hakusan for the first time. I have skied before, so this time I decided to try snowboarding. At first, I was worried about whether I could snowboard well, but with the help of my friends and by practicing many times, I was able to learn how to turn smoothly by noon.

After that, I tried an intermediate course. However, I couldn’t turn well on the steep slope and fell many times. Still, I didn’t give up and kept trying. Gradually, I got used to the snowboard and felt that I was improving. In the afternoon, After that, I tried an intermediate course. However, I couldn’t turn well on the steep slope and fell many times. Still, I didn’t give up and kept trying. Gradually, I got used to the snowboard and felt that I was improving. In the afternoon,

There were also many skilled people at the ski resort, and some of them were doing tricks like jumps and spins. My friends and I tried to copy them, but at first, we couldn’t do it well. However, as we kept practicing, we slowly got better. Although I’m still not very stable, I can now do simple jumps and spins. It was very fun to be able to do things that I couldn’t do before, and I became so focused that I forgot about time. It also reminded me of my usual club activities and independent badminton practice, and I once again realized the importance of continuing to practice. If I have another chance to go, I would like to try more difficult tricks.

Seiya Fujiwara

Hello! This is Sade Moore, one of the Learning Mentors at ICT’s Hakusanroku Campus. For this Hakusanroku Journal entry, I want to talk about the End of the Year Party for the students, faculty, and staff at Hakusanroku Campus that the Learning Mentors organized. This year, the party took place on Tuesday, February 10th, 2026. The reason this date was chosen was because, by this time, all of the exams for the second semester had officially concluded and the results passed back. Due to this what better way to celebrate and unwind for both students and teachers, than to have a party where everyone could play board games, eat, and have fun together.

Many of the students were the first to show up and you could feel the excitement coming off of them. The End of the Year Party is one of the events that the students look forward to the most, I think, and this year was no exception. They all swarmed around the snacks and couldn’t wait to eat them. We also brought out plenty of board games and card games for everyone to enjoy and also had students and teachers sing some karaoke songs. It was really nice to see the students having fun with the teachers in a more relaxed setting and seeing everyone smiling and happy after such a stressful exam time.

Also, during the party the winner of the House Cup between the 4 separate Houses received their prize for collecting the most House Points throughout the year. The House System was built in order to build teamwork amongst the students, and they can collect points throughout the semester for completing their homework or assignments, attending workshops that the Learning Mentors conduct for them, cleaning up after themselves and others around campus, amongst other merits. The house with the most points wins at the end of the semester, and each of the 4 Houses wins a special treat for the End of the Year Party. All of the students seemed to really enjoy their special treats.

As the party drew to a close, a lot of the students kept asking if there was more and if they could stay longer because they wanted to play more games and sing more songs. Unfortunately though, with the teachers needing to get off work soon, it wasn’t possible. However, it was a great feeling to know that they enjoyed themselves and to see all of the students and other teachers’ smiling faces made all of the hard work for this semester and the past year at ICT completely worth it!

Sade Moore